11.13.2011

NYC! Day 4: Levain Bakery

08.21.11

What? Levain Bakery for cookies!

Where?167 West 74th St (Upper West Side, New York)

Price? $3-$10

The skinny: Famous for their thick, chunky cookies (specifically their 6-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie), Levain Bakery was co-founded by Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes in 1995. They’ve branched out to make many other yummy baked goods; all fresh everyday. Can it get more awesome? Yes. The day’s leftovers are donated to charity!

Morning of Day 4 of our NYC food trip. Stoked but still thinking about how much my tummy was bursting last night from Sylvia’s. Nevertheless, we’re mildly rested up and ready to eat! Hopped on the train to Upper West side for COOKIES!

Major kudos & thanks to Darian for putting Levain Bakery on the list! There are two locations—we went to the original one. It’s a tiny tiny shop and it’s quite crowded.

There’s a display case that shows all of the day’s offerings. Indecisiveness took over. Until Darian reminded us of their legendary cookies. In the back you can see fresh loaves being kneaded.

There they are! All four cookies Levain offers. Wow, angels holding up a giant version of their choc chip walnut…so I should expect heavenly goodness ahead?! yay!

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies (4)

The iconic baked cookie that put Levain bakery on the map. It’s huge! I didn’t try it due to my allergy of walnuts but Elyn and Darian were both happy with it. They were surprised by how moist it was taking into account how thick it is. Then there’s the nutty, decadent cookie dough and chocolate combo. :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread (4)

Yep, we went there. Just like the cookies, the slice is generously thick and moist. I gotta say, I love my banana bread. Chocolate chip, always a added bonus. This was the moistest, yummiest slice I’ve had. It may not look that amazing, but trust me, it really is. ;D

Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip & Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip (4)

We got the two chocolate cookies. :D mmmm. (insert guttural voice). These cookies were so rich, dense and moist! I kid you not when it comes to the richness of them. I really had to take my sweet time, nibbling on it. It’d be perfect with milk! gaah.

Verdict? I haven’t had many “gourmet” cookies but from what I’ve had, these are killer! Best ones I’ve had yet. A punch of genuine decadence. Oooh! They ship cookies! :D Except I can’t quite afford them…boo. (P.S. Levain means "yeast" in French. Very fitting for a bakery!)

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About Me

Hey, I'm Carmen and thanks for stopping by! I'm interested in all things food-related. Here, I'll be sharing my food adventures with you. The idea is to give you a taste of what to expect and hopefully, if you like what you see, you'll check out the restaurant / try the recipe too!
I spend my days at school, in the bakery, in the gym, on a boat or hermitting indoors studying. Eating out is a privilege that I appreciate and when the opportunity comes along, YOU GOTTA TAKE IT. Happy eating! :D